Elevator filing appliance



June 14, 1960 c. D. GRABER ELEVATOR FILING APPLIANCE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 21, 1957 INVENTOR. Carl D. Glnwber &

ATToRNEYs June 14, 1960 2,940,810

C. D. GRABER ELEVATOR FILING APPLIANCE Filed Nov. 21, 1957 1 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 t INVENTOR.

C'a/rL Bdrwber F 2 BY 9W2 ATTORNEYS June 14, 1960 c. D. GRABER ELEVATOR FILING APPLIANCE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 21, 1957 mmvrm Carl D. Grwber ATTORBEYS June 14, 1960 c. D. GRABER 2,940,810

ELEVATOR FILING APPLIANCE Filed Nov. 21, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEVTOR.

(Jwrl D. Graber ATTORNEYS June 14, 1960 c. D. GRABER ELEVATOR FILING APPLIANCE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 21, 1957 INVENTOR. C'wrLD. amber ATTORNEYS June 14, 1960 c. D. GRABER 2,940,810

ELEVATOR FILING APPLIANCE Filed Nov. 21, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. Carl D. lZm Aber ATTORNEYS latented June 14, 1960 ice ELEVATOR FILING APPLIANCE Carl D. Graber, Orrville, Ohio, assignor to Diebold, Incorporated, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. 21, 1957, Ser. No. 697,972

9 Claims. (Cl. 312-268) The invention relates to filing appliances, and more particularly to a filing appliance for holding record cards as in a card index system in such manner as to make large blocks of cards selectively accessible to the operator; and to such a filing appliance having a compact arrangement of parts occupying a minimum of floor, space for a maximum capacity of cards; and to such a filing appliance having mechanisms for maintaining smooth and noiseless operation. of the file and for preventing rough and noisy operation due to irregularities such as unbalanced loading of the card-holding trays.

One type of filing appliance generally known as an elevator file includes a number of card-holding trays arranged between spaced continuous chains which are mounted on vertically spaced sprockets, whereby the trays are successively presented at an accessible position or opening in the housing of the appliance. A more recent development in elevator files has provided for the horizontal spacing of the upper and lower chain sprockets as well as the vertical spacing whereby the chains are disposed at an angle so that the housing for the filing appliance is slanted downwardly and rearwardly from the access opening in order to provide knee and foot room as Well as a tray position closer to the operator.

Also recent elevator nling appliances have included a pair of continuous chains of the same length at each end of the trays where the trays are relatively long in dimension for the purpose of maintaining the trays upright at all times. One chain of each pair of chains at each end is disposed over and around a pair of spaced sprockets on axes below and aligned with the axes of the sprockets for the other chain. This construction together with suitable mounting means by'which the trays are attached to the chains is intended to maintain the trays up right at all times and under all circumstances.

However, unbalanced loading of the trays in prior elevator fileshas caused the trays to swing out of normal horizontal position wh ch results in interference between or jamming of the trays during operation of the file. Such interference which arises from tolerances occurring in, the manufacture of chains, and which. ordinarily isof little or no consequence, results in a number of highly undesirable operational defects in the use of an. elevator file in which the clearance between trays should be a minimum in order to provide a maximum card capacity.

More particularly, the chains sag due to the manufacturing tolerances therein. Thus measures must be taken to prevent or compensate. for sag. One disadvantage resulting from chain sag is that it reduces the desired minimum spacing between adjacent trays sufi'iciently to require greater than desirable minimum clearances between trays for storage of cards of a given dimension. 7

Another difiiculty created by chain sag is that the" file operates in a rough manner causing bumping and excessive noise between adjacent trays and other parts. Moreover, chain sag causes the chains or trays to rub or scrape against other parts of the file, such as the frame 2 members mounting the chain sprockets on the filing an pliance housing.

Another difiiculty resulting from chain sag is possible interference at the point of departure of the trays from straight line travel at the sprocket positions at the upper and lower ends of chain travel. This interference resulting from movement of a pair of chains in an unsynchrdnized or unparallel manner causesthe lever arms for the trays to lock or bind, and may stall operation of the file as the trays go over the top of the orbit of travel.

Moreover, another dificulty may develop where the card trays are loaded in an unbalanced manner so that a torque is imparted to the lever arms which mount the trays on the. chains. If the file is provided with synchronizing means, the torque may tend to disengage the synchronizingmeans, thus defeating its purpose; that is, to synchronize the movement of each pair of chains in order toprevent the diificulties inherent in chain sag.

Finally, another difiiculty encountered in the construction and operation of prior elevator filing appliances is that due to theclose clearances which are provided between various or inaccessible parts of the file, movement of the file canjbe jammed by objects temporarily placed on one or more of the trays, if left at such location through inadvertence of the operator who thereafter operates the file without removing the object. 7

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved elevator filing appliance of the type described which eliminates the in-.

dicated disadvantages of prior elevator files of the same general type? R 1 It is another object of this invention to provide an improved elevator file construction which includes a mechanism for positively preventing sagging of the chains.

Also it is an object of the invention to provide an improved elevator file construction which includes means for compensating for variations in the'length of chains on which trays are mounted.

it is another object of this inventionto provide a new elevator file construction in which minimum clearance between adjacent trays may be provided and maintained.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved elevator file construction which operates in' a; smooth and noiseless manner. 7 r i t It is another object of invention to provide an improved elevator file construction in which minimum clean ance between adjacent parts is maintained without contact between stationary and moving parts. 7

It is anotherobject of this invention to provide an improved elevator file construction including, tray supporting chains which are synhcronized or timed with respect to each other in order to prevent interference at the point of departure of travel of the trays from straight line movement in an orbit of travel.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved elevator file construction including tray supporting chains, in which the chains are maintained in proper operative engagement with chain synchronizing means notwithstanding unbalanced loading of the trays.

Moreover, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved elevator file construction having safety means remote fromthe operator to stop operation of the file by contact with a foreign object which may have been left inadvertently on: a tray and which. might jam the filing appliance unless operation thereof is stopped.

Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide an. improved elevator filing. appliance which: accomplishes the foregoing objects and desiderata in a simple, effective, and inexpensive manner.

These and other objects and advantages apparent to those skilledin the art firom the following description. and claims may be obtained, the stated results achieved, and

the described difliculties overcome by the discoveries,

. principles, apparatus, parts, combinations, subcombin'ations, and elements which comprise the present invention,

' the nature of which is set forth in the following statement,

7 'a preferred embodiment of which-.illustrative of the best 8 i hi ap l c n a n emp a ann y s the principles-is set forth in the following description, and

isiparticularly and distinctly pointed out'andset forth in the appended. claims forming part hereof;

; i 1 Generally, the improved elevator file construction of the ing an inclined plane extending upwardly from the base, a second pair. of vertically and horizontally. spaced sprockets journaled on each support member below the first pair of sprockets and being disposed in the inclined plane, the

spacing. between all pairs of sprockets being equal, first endless chains .operatively connecting the sprockets of each first pair, second endless chains operatively connect ing the sprockets of each secondpair, a plurality of card trays located between said support members in two in clined rows and carried on the first endless chains for movement to and from an access positioninelevator fashion inan orbit of travel-in one direction or another upwardly in one row and downwardly in theother'row parallel to said plane, each tray having a bottom wall and longitudinally spaced end walls "extending upwardly from showing the lower-half. of the left-hand support member 2,seo,s1'o 1 tions of the card trays'within the housing and showing the curtain and working counter in the closed positions;

' Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view showing the traycarrying chain and lever arms, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; r

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view showing the tray stabilizer chainand lever arms, taken on the lineSe-SofFigZ;

Fig. 6 is. an' enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the upper half of the 'left-handsupport member and attached sprockets, asviewed in'Fijg. '2;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view and attached sprockets, as viewed iniFig 2; a

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary end elevational view showing the electric motor and drive means for operating the filing appliance, taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the working counter in the openposition hingedly mounted the bottomlwall, the end walls having a height equal with a clearance to the vertical spacing between the bottom walls of adjacent trays when said trays are disposed in the inclined rows, a trunnion extending outwardly from each end Wall of each tray, the trunnions on each tray .being aligned, the trunnions of each tray-being journaled on corresponding pairs of lever arms ,extending fromihej' first endless chains; means for maintaining the trays up right including a secondpair of lever arms on each secand chain for each tray, a connecting link betweencorre.

' sponding'first and second pairs of lever arms on eachiend ofthe trays, one end of each link being rotatably mounted V onthe second pair of lever arms, and the other end of each being fixed tothe corresponding trunn on of each tray;

preferably flexible spacer means'lor rubber pads mounted on the undersurfacef Of each bottom wall abuttable with a the upper ends of the end walls of the adjacent tray; preferably a pair of chain-synchronizing sprockets fixedly mounted on'a stud shaft journaled'in. each,support"menii 'ber,'theax'is of rotation of each'stud' shaft' bein'g offset tram the planepassing through the axes of the upper and lower spaced sprockets, one ofeach chainsynchronizing sprockets engaging the'fir'st endlessIchain and-the other of said 'sprockets e'ngaging. the second endless chain on" 1 eachsupport member, and an idler sprocket mounted on a each support member engaging each corresponding second endless chain and holding said second chain in engage-' ment with the corresponding chain-synchronizing sprocket; an electric motor operatively connected with the first endless chains for driving the trays about their orbit of travel, 'and preferably a safety cable extending across andnear the upperend of the orbit of travel of the trays remote from said access position, for automatically stopping the electric motor when the cable is actuated.

Referring to the drawings, in which a preferred embodi- 'ment of the invention is shown by way of example:

Figure 1 a perspective view of the novel elevator filing appliance with the curtain open and the working,

counter in operative position; Y H

, Fig. 2 is .a svertical sectional view looking 'from the front to the rear. of the interior of the filing appliance,

' taken on'the line 22 of Fig. 4, and showing the operate ing parts without the housing;

" Fig.3 is a transverse sectional .view showing posiworking counter;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 10-.10 of Fig; 9, showing-the safety cable and the manner in which it' is attached to opposite ends of thefiling appliance; ,7 V I Fig. 11 is a plan view, partly. in section, showing the safety cable of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view, taken on the line 12-712 of Fig. 5, showing the manner in which the tray'lever arms on the tray stabilizing chain are attached to the connecting I i i Similar numerals refer tosirnilar parts throughout the r w In Fig. l. the improved filing appliance is generally indicated at 1; it includes a housing 2, a base 3 and spaced upright plates orsupport members 4 and 5 (Fig.

2), a plurality of card trays 6, means for supporting and moving the trays generally indicatedat 7 (Fig. 2), and

drive means or reversible motor generally indicated at.8. As shown in Fig 1, the-housing 2 includes a front wall 9 and an end wall 10, a second. end'wallparallel andsimilar' to the end wall 10 but not shown in any of the various figures of the drawings, a rear'wall ll (Fig.

3 )-,;a retractable hood oncurtain 12, and a working counter. 13. l'he curtain 12 and counterg13 iforman' opening 14 in the upper part of the housing 2 where the greatest concentration of active recordsis. provided with fast easy'accesibility,bytouching acontrol button for'bringing-thedesired recordsto'the fingertips of the operator inanaverage time of only three seconds. As shown more particularly in Fig. 3, the front wall 9is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from the counter i 13in order toprovide knee;.leg.and 'foot room for the operator. The means 7 for support ng and moving the trays 6 issubstantially parallel to the inclined front wall 9 in order to conserve space within the housing. Moreover, as shown in Fig. 3, the counter 13'is pivotally mounted. on a piano-type hinge 15 for movement between the closed and open (broken line) positions. The counter 13'-is supported in the open position by a pair of hangers 16 of conventional construction which are slidably 'mounted on similar pins 17 on thefile. In the closed position the upper end of the counter 13 meets the lower end 18 of the curtain 12 to provide acompletely closed unit. However, the counter 13 may be permanently mounted in the open (broken line) position, in which case the lower end 18 of the curtain 12 may extend further downto completely close the opening otherwise closed by the counter 13 in the closed position of Fig. 3.

Finally, the curtain12 moves between the closed position of Fig. 3.,and the .open positionof Fig. 1,. in the latter of which positions the curtain is disposed in' a track 19 at opposite ends of thecu'rtain along the rear wall it-is provided with a booster spring 2s (Fig. 3) includ ing a sprocket 2 1 for facilitating "opening and closing of the curtain. The booster spring .20 and sprocket 21 are of conventional construction so .that once the curtain is started in either direction, the spring moves the curtain in the direction started.

The base 3 is a rigid channelized member extending across the bottom of the filing appliance 1 as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 8. Leg stabilizers 22 of conventional construction are provided at four corners of the base so that the filing appliance may be installed in a horizontal position.

The support plates 4 and include similar rigidizing peripheral flanges 23 and 24, respectively, and the plates 4 and 5 are secured to the base 3 inc. conventional manner such as by welding. The support plates 4 and 5 provide the basic support for the various members of the housing 2. More important, the support plates 4 and 5 support the means 7 for supporting and moving the trays 6.

The means '7 on the support plate 4 includes an upper frame 25 and a lower frame 26. Likewise, the means 7 on the support plate 5 includes an upper frame 27 and a lower frame 23. The frames 25-28 are preferably castings and include a number of journal openings on which various sprockets are mounted in a manner described hereinbelow. I

The upper frames 25 and 27 are similar except they are reversed of each other. Likewise, the lower frames 26 and 28 are similar but reversed from each other. In other words, neither the frames 25 and 27 nor the frames 26 and 28 are reversible parts.

As shown in Fig. 2, the upper frames 25 and 27 are secured to'the support plates 4 and 5, respectively, by similar bolts 29. Likewise, the lower frames 26 and 28 are secured to the plates 4 and 5, respectively, by similar bolts 34}. The lower frames 26 and 28 includeprotruding portions 31 and 32, respectively, that extend into apertures 33 and 34 in the plates 4 and 5. In addition, the upper frames 25 and 27 include similar adjusting bolts 35 by which minor adjustments may be made between the upper and lower frames during fabrication of the appliance.

Finally, as shown in Fig. 4, a stretcher or channel member 36 extends between and reinforces the upper frames 25 and 27. The member 36 is attached by similar bolts 37 in similar end flanges 38 to the frames 25 and 27. In addition, the channel member 36 maintains the necessary spacing between the upper frames 25 and 27, which spacing is determined by the length of the several card trays 6.

In addition to the frames 25-23, the means 7 for supporting and moving the trays includes a pair of chains adjacent each support plate 4 and 5, as well as a number, of sprockets for supporting the chains. The pair of chains adjacent the support plate 4 includes a tray support chain 39 and a tray stabilizing chain 40. Likewise, the pair of chains adjacent the support plate 5 includes a tray support chain 41 and a tray stabilizing chain 42. The chains 32-42 are endless link chains of the same length. Each chain is disposed between a pair of spaced sprockets.

Thus, the upper end of the chain 39 is disposed on and around a sprocket 43 and the lower end on a sprocket 44. The upper end of the chain is mounted on and around a sprocket 45 and the lower end on a sprocket 46. Similarly, the chains 41 and 42 are mounted on upper sprockets 47 and 43 and lower sprockets 49 and 50, respectively. All of the sprockets 43-59 have the same pitch line diameter and number of sprocket teeth and are generally similar in construction and mounting. Likewise, the axes of rotation of all of the sprockets 43-56 are similarly spaced and located with regard to their corresponding upper and lower frames 25-28. In Fig. 4, the tray support chain 41 is shown disposedbe- "6 tween the spaced sprockets 47 and 49. Similarly, in Fig. 5, the tray stabilizing chain 42 is shown between thenpper sprocket 48 and the lower sprocket 50.

A plane passing through the centers or axes of rotation of the several sprockets 47-50 is inclined at an -angle to the horizontal base plate 3 or the floor on which the filing appliance 1 is mounted. The inclined plane is parallelto the front wall 9 of the appliance. On the other :side of the file the tray support chain .39 and tray stabilizing chain 40 are mounted on their respective sprockets 43-46 in a mannersimilar to the chains 41 and 42. 'Moreover, the centers or axes of rotation for the sprockets 43-46 are disposedin the same inclined plane as that of the sprockets 47-50 on which the chains 41 and 42 are mounted.

The several sprockets on which the chains 39-42 are mounted are attached to the upper 'andlower frames 25- 28 as shown ingreater detail in Figs. 6 and 7 with regard to the particular sprockets 43-46. For the sake of brevity only the manner in which the sprockets 43-46 are mounted is described,- it being understood that the corresponding sprockets 47-59 are mounted in a similar manner on their corresponding frames. I

On the upper frame 25 asshownin Fig. 6, the sprocket 43 is fixedly mounted by a key 51 on a reduced portion 52 at one end of an elongated shaft 53 which extends (Fig. 2) across and between the upper ends of the upper frames 25 and 2.7 and on which at the other end the sprocket 41 is similarly mounted. The upper frame 25 (Fig. 6) includes an Op ning 54 in which a bearing SS for the end of the shaft 53 is seated. The bearing 55 is retained in the opening 54 by a lock ring 56. The opposite end of the shaft 5311s similarly journaled in the upper end of the upper frame 27.

'At a spaced distance below the sprocket 43 the sprocket 45 is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 57, the extremities of which shaft 57 are seated in bifurcated portions 25a and 25b of the upper frame 25 forming a space 25: in which the sprocket 45is located. As shown in Fig. 6, the sprocket 45 is provided with a bearing 58 retained by spaced lock rings 59 and 60.

The sprocket 44 (Fig. 7) is mounted on the end of a stub shaft 61 by a key 62. vA central portion of the. stub shaft 61 is mounted in bearings 63 and 64 located in openings-65 and 66, respectively, in bifurcated portions 26a and 26b of the lower frame 26. The bearing 63 is retained in place by spaced lock rings 67 and 68 and a part of the bifurcated portion 26a includes the protruding portion 31 of the lower frame 26 which extends through-the aperture 33 as described above. The end of the stub shaft 61 opposite that on which the sprocket 44 is mountedincludes a reduced portion 69 which provides a shoulder 75 An annular mounting member 71 is secured on the reduced end portion 69 of the shaft '61 by a key 72. The end of the member 71-abuts the ShOU]: der 7% as shown in Fig. 7. In addition, an annular plate 73 is fixedly secured in a conventional manner on the mounting member 71 and a sprocket wheel 74 is secured to the plate 73 by bolts 75. At the outer end of the mounting member another sprocket wheel 76 is mounted by bolts 77.

The sprocket 46 is mounted on a bearing 46a on a stub shaft 46b, the extremities of which are seated in the bifurcated portions 26a and 26b forminga space 26c in which the sprocket is located.

The sprockets 47-50 (Fig. 2) are mounted on members similar to the members on which the sprockets 43-46 are mounted with the exception of the sprocket 49. The. sprocket 49 is mounted on a stub shaft 78 which differs from the stub shaft 61 in that. the shaft 78 does not inelude an outer reduced end portion such as the reduced. portion 69 of the shaft 61. In all other respects the mounting and construction of the shaftv 7 8; are. similar to that of the shaft 61.

As shown in Fig. 3, the filing appliance 1 includes prefr The trunnion 88 also erably nine card trays 6 which are-mountedon and beand rear straight paths oi travel as well as upper and lower arcuate paths of travel.

As shown in Figs Zand 3, eachtray 6 includes a bottom wall'79, front and rear sidewalls 80 and 81, and oppo; site end walls 82 and 83. The undersurface of each tray includes flexible bumper members or rubber pads. 84 and 85 in alignment with out-turned flanges. 86 and 87 at the upper side of the end walls 82 and'83, respectively.

Moreover, each tray 6 is provided witha pair of aligned shafts or trunnions 88 and 89, thefdrmerof which'is A attached to the end wall 82 and the latter of which is attached to the' end wall .83. The trays 6 are pivotally V mounted on and between the chains by the trunnions in a manner to be described hereinbelow. 7

As shown in Fig. 3, the chain 39 is provided with preferably a plurality of spaced sets of forked levers, the preferred number of which sets is nine and equal to the number of trays 6. The sets of forked levers are equally spaced about the chain '39 and each set includesa pair of levers 90 and 91-(Fig.-7) havingsimilar arm portions 92 and 93,- -The arm portions 92 and'93 ofeachpair 90 and 91-have a V-like arrangement as shown (Fig. 3) andare connected at their inner'ends to extended chain linkpins 94 (-Fig. 7) at equal'intervals'along the chain 39. Each pair of arm portions 92- in each 'set is secured together by a nut and boltassembly 96 substantially centrally thereof and each pair of arm :portions 93 is likewise secured together by nut and bolt assemblies 97. In addition,- an annular spacer 98 is mounted on .each bolt 96'and '97 between each pair of arms.

V The outer ends of the arm portions 92 and 93 of each a pair'of levers 90 and 9 1 are pivotally connected on a circular bearing housing 99 and an annular spacer 1 is mounted around the housing 99 and between the spaced arm portionsflS-and 92 of the pairs of levers 90 and 9-1. Anannular bearing 101 is mounted within each housing 99 and areduced end portion 102 of each trunnion 88' is mounted within the bearing '101; The inner ends of the bearing housing 99 and bearing '101 are seated against a shoulder 103 formed by the reduced end portion 102 ofthetrunnionsfi. 1

includes a squared shaft portion 104(Fig. 7) over which a squared openingg105 of'a connecting link 106' is engaged and rheldin place by a nut 107 on' a threaded end 190111011 108 of the trunnion. Asshown in Fig.6 for a nine tray file, the continuous stabilizing chain 42 is provided with preferably nine; pairs of forked lever arms 109 whichareequally' spaced along the .chain 42' and which include apair of'similar arm portions 110 and" lll'having-a V-h'ke arrangement as.

shown. Likewise, thestabilizingchain 40 is provided with an equal number of similar forked levers 109 having similar arm-portions llo and 111'as shown in-Fig. '7. All of the arm portions 110 and 111 are connected at their inner ends-to their respective chains 40 and 42 by ex-v tended chain link pins 112 atintervals along the chains. The outer ends of the arm portions 110 and'111 are pivotally connected to a bearing assembly including an annular bearing housing 113 and an annular bearing 114 as-shown'in Fig.-l"2. a

In addition, the bearing assembly- 113' -114' includes an annular spacer 115, the opposite ends of which are seated against annular washers 116 and 117. The members 114,116, and 11 7 are secured to the end of the connecting link 106 by aunt and bolt assembly "118 7 whereby the ends of thearn' portions 110' and 111 are pivotally connected' to the endof the connecting link106, as alsoshown in Fig. 7. w 7 f i -This construction with one end ofthe' connectinglink 106 attached to the outer end of the adjacent lever 109' and the other end fixed to the outensqua'red end 104 ofzthegtrunnion 88 (Fig, .7) mounted at the ends of the 121 extending between thesprocket and the sprocket wheel-74 (Figs.' 7 and 8). The motor 8 turns the sprocket 120 and drives. the sprocket wheel 74 through the drive chain121. In turn the stub shaft 61 on which the; sprocket wheel'74 is fixedly mounted .turns; the sprocket 44 (Fig. 7) which drives the chain 39(The ham-39 drives the sprocket 43 and the shaft 53. -Ro-' tation ofshaft '53 turnsfsprocket 47 on the other side of thefile which drives chain 41. i The chains 39 and 41 together with their respective pairs of levers '90 and 91 constitute the primary supports and drives of the trays 6. On the other hand, the stabilizing chains '40 and '42 are driven by forces transmitted through the connecting links 106 and levers 109 from the chains 39; and 41. As the stabilizing chains 40 and 42 are moved around their respective sprockets, they maintain the trays 6 upright around their orbit of travel. Q V i In addition, the distance between the centers of the upper sprockets for the chains .39 and 41 and the upper sprockets for the chains 40 and 42 are equal to the distancebetween the centers of the lower sprockets for the chains 39 and 41 and the lower sprockets for'the chains 40 and 42, which distancein turn is equal to the operoperative, emergency manual'operation is available. For.

this purpose a stub shaft 122 (Fig. 6) having a squared outer end portion 123 is mounted Within a pair of similar bearings 124 which are seated within an annular hearing housing 125 which is attached to an annular mounting .plate 126. The spaced bearings 124 are retained within the housing '125 by similar lock rings 127. In addition, a sprocket128 is fixedly mounted as we key 129on the stub' shaft 122 so that the sprocket l28 is in the same plane as the sprocket wheel 76 (Figs. 7 and 8); A I continuous linked chain *130 is disposed over and around the sprocket 128 and the sprocket wheel 76. A hand crank (not shown) may be attached to the squared end portion 123 of the stub shaft 122 and rotated to operate the file. in the event of power failure.

The foregoing construction provides a substanially direct drive meansfor the tray-carrying. drive chains "39 and 41 and an indirect drive means for the tray stabilizing chains 40 and 42. 1 That construction together with other factorssuch as'the slight expansion of the chains due to manufacturing tolerances, unbalanced, loading of the trays, and the weight'of all ofthe loaded trays, may cause the drive and stabilizing chains to operate out of synchronization with each other." For example, the upper portions of the chains carrying the greater weight may be stretched a much greater amount than the lower per-- tions of the chains sothat the tray carrying chains 39 and 41 will movearound their upper sprockets '43 and 47 less smoothly than the tray synchronizing chains 40 and 42" which carry only a minor portion of the total weight of the trays. As a result the chains may fighfeach other,

I causing uneven, rough, bumpy, and noisy operation of chains to sag betwe'en their upper andlower sprockets" out of parallel with the inclined plane extending through the centers of'rotation of thesever'alsprockets. Thus,

the trays 6 on the front side (right side of Big. 4),- 1' .e., adjaceiit-the front wallfift end to. pullthe s aggingflchain away from the straight path of moversent, causing the desired spacing between adjacent trays to be slightly creased, and causing the chains on the back side to sag toward said inclined plane out of their straight path of moyement'and thereby slightly reduce the spacing be.- tween the adjacent trays.

In'other words, due to chain sag the portions of the chains on the front side sag toward the front wall 9 and away from the plane of chain travel. Such sag separates the trays 6 slightly from the desired closely stacked arrangement. On the other hand, when the chains on the back side sag, the trays 6 move closer together vertically, which causes several diificulties. The first is interference with the maintenance of a definite minimum spacing be tween the trays, which spacing is specifically designed to accommodate a file card of a certain size the trays. Another difiiculty is excessive bumping of trays resulting in a noisy operation and uneven movemeht of the chains. Still another diiiculty is interference at point o f departure of the trays from the straight line tr gel to the circular path around the sprockets particularly at the upper ends of the chains.

The flexible bumper members or rubber pads 84 and 85 prevent the occurrence of the foregoing difiicultie s Thus the rubber pads 84 and 85 on the undersurf aces of the several trays 6 in alignment with the flanges 86 and 87 (Fig. 2), are compressed (Fig. 3.) between the undersurfaces and flanges of adjacent trays when the trays, are moving in straight line travel particularly at thel'back side (right side Fig. 3) of the inclined planes of the sprockets Inasmuch as the normal spacing be tween the trays 6 is slightly less than. that of 1.113 compressed rubber pads: 34 and 85., the pads are cornpressed between the adjacent trays Ito-clamp the trays against one another during the straightline travel results in a stacked unitary tray moving in straight line travel on the backor right. side (Fig. 3.) of the file where inward chain sag can occur if not pre- Vented, with the. lower trays physically contributingto the support of the, upper trays to prevent; relative movenient between thetraysdue to chain sag, and at the same m a t m' he my Spa ng in a ri id assa n assembly moving up or down inas'inooth silept rpanner.

Therigid assembly of the several tzayshpreyents the chains from sagging at the back side of 'the file and thereby maintains the chains in their paths of straight us travel. At the sameftimejfthei minimum clearance between adjacent traysjis maintained ito gualrantee the required card clearance." Moreover, by providing-the block or unitary stack assembly of trays on the back side which prevents the chains from sagging inward against the frame, another source. of bumping and noise in themovement of the trays isavoided.

The various forces acting en t-he chains including the combined weight offthe traysan d their contents tends to stretch. the upper portions of the chains 39 and 41 most around the. sprockets. Thus, movement of the tray: carrying chains 39 and 41 may get out of synchronized mollfiment with the unstre'tched tray stabilizing chains 40 and 4; which support nly a minor portion of the total weigh f he, y

S uch lack of synchronized moyement must be pro..-v

entedfor smoother operation of the file. Thus, means is providedfor synchronizingthe movement of each pair of chains 39 and 4i]? at one end and the chains 41 and 42 at the other end. As shown in Fig. 2, the means for synchronizing movementofthe chains is provided at each end-ofthe filing appliance 1'. V The means includes a p air (if-sprockets 131 and 132 on the upper frame 25 for'the: chains 40 and 39, respectively, and the means also includes (Figs. 2 and 5') a pairof synchronizing sprockets 133 and 134 on the upper frame 27 for the chains 42 and 41, respectively. As shown'in Fig 2, the channel -10 msaibe fi isv d th n v es 3 and .144. at ppo it end ti) ovid dama p he sprocke sand 134;, respectively.

h snrqlsst 131 nd ar similar t each other 51 th a msk t 1. a d, 1. ar als sim a tassel; ot bo in qn t io n m ng e ma ne in which the synchronizing sprockets are mounted shownin Fig. 6 for the pairof sprockets 131 and 132 A stub shaft 135 is rotatably mounted in a pair of bearings 136 and 137 which are disposed in opening s-138 and 132 in the bifurcated portions 25a and 25b, respectively, of the upper frame 25..

h i k t 1.31 i s ss sqa th s b h f in th ing .59 be e he h fi sate no ion 25a an ZS bandisfixed on the, shaft by a key 140 and a set screw tat. Likewise, the sprocket 132 is mounted on the inner epdot the shaftiSS by. a key 142. The sprocket 131 is disposed in the plane of the sprockets 45 46 (Fig. 2), and engages the chain 40, and the sprocket132 is esssi in t P s of h s r s ets 43 nd 44 an n a s th sham 9- Th ia ese 134 is di p sed in the plane .of the sprockets 47 and 49 and engages the chain .41 asshown in Fig.4. Similarly, the sprocket 133 is disposed in the plane. of the sprockets 4 8 and 50 and engagesthe. chain 42 as shown in 'Fig. 5. The sprockets 131 and 132 engage the chains 4!) and 39 respectively, in a manner to the engagement of the sprockets 133 and $3.4 with therespective chains 42; and 4 1 as shown 4 and 5;

Be P i s .o un han n sproskets nd 1:32 on n sedans S ro 1. a 1. n t e t e an ew-i52 ms e ths o i p dins Pair of. s un v in ne set a d P r lle m a s p o ket r h P lt u oss-h r he r i s to in e o t .1 1, m ment Q h o e o n pa rs. oi chains together and therebycompensate for the efiects 9 iietsnta q css ct n h hain. h the m r heayily loaded chains 39 and 41 which tend to stretch 1. 91 h n he. stab l z ha 4. and 4 a p e with a'direct connection with the stabilizing chains, cans.- ns t em to e o ethe is n in a s ooth, even, yn hro iz d man er- In Figs. 4 and 5, an idler gear is shown mounted on the support'plate 5011 a gear shaft 146, the end of which issecured to. a mounting plate 147 by similar bolts The -i d;lcr gear ,145 engages the stabilizing ch n :2: at. apoint below the synchronizing gear 13-3. Likewise, a similar-idlergear 149 is provided on the sup-. ortplatefomhestabilizing chain 49. ,The: idler gear 1494's similarly mounted: on thesupport plate 4 by a mounting plate 150.

Theqidler gears 145 and' 149;hold the respective sta-. bilizingchains .40..ancl 42 against the corresponding synchronizing. sprockets 131 and 1-33. This is particularly importanf'whenone'tray. 6 ,is-=loaded in an unbalanced; manner. by. a group. of cards 151 (Fig. 4) in the front half of the tray, leaving the rear portion empty. Under such unbalancedloading the tray is subjected to torque around the trunnions 88- and 89 in the direction of the arrow 152. As a result, a rearward thrust reacts on arm 110 of the lever 109- mounted on the stabilizing chains 40 and 42 and a forward thrust reacts on arm 111. These thrust forces, when trays are loaded in the unbalanced manner described, maymove the stabilizing chains 40 and 42 a sufiticient distance away from their' corresponding synchronizing gears 1'31 and 133 to destroy the efiectivcness of the gears. in maintaining synchronisnr of chain travel. The idler gears 145 and 149,

being disposed slightly below and on the opposite side of} the chains, counteract or compensate for these forces and hold the stabilizing chains 49 and 42 in synchronizingengagement-with sprockets 131- and 133 at all times.

Thus the efiectof an unbalanced; loading in the trays does not destroy synchronized movement of both pairs of placed therein and extend adjacent trays-move as a traysprevents'the chains fromlsagging."

1 Referring to Figs. 1, 3,"a'nd 9; the filing appliance 1 is provided'with a curtain 152 preferably formed 'of a ilexibleor pliant material. The curtain 152 is an elongated sheet-like member folded along its central axis and mountedon an elongatedcable 153'which extends across the front of the file from one end to the other as shown in Fig. 10. Theroverlapping edgesof thecurtain 152 are secured together at the inner edge of the working counter 13 where they are retained in placed by an elongated mounting strip 154secured in placeby a plurality of spaced screws 155. The curtain 152 serves as a guard panel between the inner edge of the counter sur face and a zone adjacenrthefront side of the. trays to e the possibility of accidentally dropping anobject such as a card into the gap covered by the curtain.

' Inaddition, the cable 153 provides a usual safety device chains, sprockets, etc. As shown in Fig. 1, the pair of shield plates 156 and-157 providean arcuate opening 160 and, as shown in Fig. 3, the shieldplates 158 and 15 9 provide an arcuate opening 161 aligned with the'open 'ing 160; ,The openings 160 and ,,161 coincide with the path of movement of the trunnions 89 and 8 8. The shield plates 156-159 are'attached, to the. various frame work and housing members of the filing appliance 1.

Thecable 153, extends between the shield plates 157 and 159 and has one end anchored, at a stationary pin 163 (Fig. The other end of the cable 153 is anchored on a pin 163 on a lever 164 pivoted at 165 and sustained in the position shown by a spring 166.. The upper end of the lever 164 actuates aplunger 167 on ;a microswitch sgaibgm V 12 Finally, the improved file includes means for maintaining the synchronized relation, whereby the synchronizing chains are maintained inoperativecngagenlent with'the corresponding synchronizing sprockets compensating for any unbalanced loading of one or more trays. J

Thus the mechanisms of'the improved filing'appliance of the' present invention maintain the minimum. spacing between the trays for the designed card size eliminate noise and uneven movement of the trays due to chain sag, and obviate interferenceor fighting'betwcen the corresponding pairs of chains during operation.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used'for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the priorart, because such words are used'for descriptive purposes l rcreinand are intendedto behroadlyconstrued.- f f f Moreover, the embodiments ofthe improved construction illustrated and described herein are by way of ex- 168, which switch is connected in seri'es with the circuit for the motor 8. Accordingly, if the operator of the filing appliance desires to make an emergency stop, the slightest pressure on the panel guard curtain 152 moves the cable .153 sufiiciently to cut ofi allpower and stop the fil instantly; v in An additional safety cable 169 is provided remote from the working counter 13 at the top of the file near the rear wall (Figs. 1' and .3 to protect the mechanism and contents of-the file. The cable 169 is located close to the path of travel ofthe'trays and is mounted-at opposite ends in a manner-similar to'the cable 153, as shown inFigsylO andEll. The cable 169'prevents jamming of or injury to the trays either when the contentsa're not properly limit, "or when an object, such as a purse, is inadvertently left on thetop of'the cards '151. f Any such objector improper loading, upon 'movin'g past'the cable 169, strikes and deflects the afety cable'169 ancl immediately stops thefile.

As show'n'in Fig. 1, each tray may include'a plurality of removable tray units or Jpans 170 which are adapted to contain a specific number of file cards 151.. The trays include finger openings 171 at front and rear ends'so' that'a particular tray unit 170 may be lifted from the particu1artray6u' V The device of thepresent invention thus avoidsprior art diflicult-ies. It operates in-a smoother, noiseless manner, 'Two means'are provided -for overcoming or compensating for chain sag, the first including/the flexible pads ample, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown. j

' Having now described the -features, constructions and principles of the invention, the characteristics of the elevator filing appliance and the advantageous, new anduse'- ful'results provided; the new and'nseful discoveries, principles, parts, elements, combinations, subcombinations, structures and arrangements, and mechanical equivalents obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth 'in the appended claims. a

Iclaim: s 7

1. In a filing appliance, abase, longitudinally spaced first and second upright support members on the base, a first pair of vertically spaced sprockets journaled on and in a plane adjacent toeach support member, a second pair of vertically spaced sprockets journaled on and in a plane remote from each support member, the sprockets having parallel axes of rotation, the spacing between all pairs of sprockets being equal, a first endless chain disposed between and around each first pair of sprockets, a second endless chain being disposed between and around each second pair of sprockets, a plurality of card trays located between said support members, said trays being vertically spaced and horizontally disposed; common drive means for said sprockets, a trunnion fixed to and extending from each end of each tray, lever arms connectedto the first and second chains at intervals and extending laterallyoutward from the-chains, the lever arms connected to the a connecting link'fixedly secured atonefendtoeach trunnion; the lever arms connected to'thelfirstchains being above 'the upper permissible mounted on the'undersurface of the trays so that the in. the orbit, of 'travel. The; rigid assembly of stacked sh s a di h ra st l z ns ch n wthat thwhaim move together in a synchronized manner without each other.

unitary stack in a'straight :path

pivotally connected to themther end of theiconnecting links, a pair of chain synchronizing sprockets mounted on: each support member for simultaneous rotation, each pair of chain synchronizing sprockets engaging the'pairs of first and second chains on each support membenand each pair of chain synchronizing sprockets being independent of the common drive means for said first and second pairs of sprockets, whereby each pair of the first and second chains on each support member move together in response to operation of the drive means.

2. Inc. filing appliance, a'base, longitudinally spaced vertical first and second upright support members on the base, a first pair of vertically and horizontally spaced sprockets journaled on and in a plane adjacent to each support member, the, sprockets having parallel axes of rotation in an inclined plane extendingupwardly from the a base, a second pair of vertically and horizontally spaced parallel anes of'rotation in said inclined plane, the spacing between all pairs of sprockets beingequal, a first endless chain disposed between and around each first-pair of sprockets, a second endless chain being disposed between n -m e a h n ir fi m k t a -plu al w-si.

card fi ays located between said support meinbers, said trays being vertically spaced and horizontally disposed, common drive means for said sprockets, a trunnion fixed to and extending from each end of each tray, lever arms connected to the first and second chains at equal intervals and extending laterally outward from the chains; the lever arms connected to the second chains being pivotally connected to the trunnions, a connecting link fixedly secured at one end to each trunnion, the lever arms connected to the first chains being pivotally connected to the other end of the connecting links, and sprocket means for maintaining the chains taut between their respective sprockets, whereby the chain portions between the sprockets are prevented from sagging out of straight line travel, thereby maintaining the proper spacing between adjacent trays.

3. In a filing appliance, a base, longitudinally spaced vertical first and second upright support members on the base, a first pair of vertically and horizontally spaced sprockets journaled on and in a plane adjacent to each support member, the sprockets having parallel axes of rotation in an inclined plane extending upwardly from the base, a second pair of vertically and horizontally spaced sprockets journaled on and in a plane remote from each support member, said second pair of sprockets having axes of rotation in said inclined plane, the spacing between all pairs of sprockets being equal, a first endless chain disposed over and around each first pair of sprockets, a second endless chain being disposed between and around each second pair of sprockets, a plurality of card trays located between said support members, said trays being vertically spaced and horizontally disposed, each tray having a bottom wall and longitudinally spaced end wall means extending upwardly from the bottom wall, the end wall means having a height substantially equal to the vertical spacing between the bottom walls of adjacent trays, common drive means for said sprockets, a trunnion fixed to and extending from each end wall of each tray, lever arms connected to the first and second chains at intervals and extending laterally outward from the chains; the lever arms connected to the second chains being pivotally connected to the trunnions, a connecting link fixedly secured at one end to each trunnion, the lever arms connected to the first chains being pivotally connected to the other end of the connecting links, and flexible pad means mounted on the undersurface of each tray bottom wall abuttable with the upper ends of the end wall means of the adjacent tray, whereby the chain portions between the sprockets are prevented from sagging out of straight line travel by the rigid clamping of adjacent trays against relative movement through compression of the pad means therebetween.

4. In a filing appliance, a base, longitudinally spaced vertical first and second upright support members on the base, a first pair of vertically and horizontally spaced sprockets journaled on and in a plane adjacent to each support member, the sprockets having axes of rotation in an inclined plane extending upwardly from the base, a second pair of vertically and horizontally spaced sprockets journaled on and in a plane remote from each support member, said second pair of sprockets having parallel axes of rotation in said inclined plane, the spacing between all pairs of sprockets being equal, a first endless chain dis posed between and around each first pair of sprockets, a second endless chain being disposed between and around each second pair of sprockets; a plurality of card trays located between said support members, said trays being vertically spaced and horizontally disposed, common drive means for said sprockets, a trunnion fixed to and extending from each end of each tray, lever arms connected to the first and second chains at intervals and extending laterally outward from the chains; the lever arms connected to the second chains being pivotally connected to the trunnions, a connecting link fixedly secured at one end to each trunnion, the lever arms connected to the first chains being pivotally connected to the other end of the connecting links, a pair of chain synchronizing sprockets fixedly mounted on a stub shaft that is rotatably mounted 14 on each support member for simultaneous rotation of the synchronizing sprockets, and each pair of chain synchronizing sprockets engaging the pairs of first and second chains on each support member, whereby each pair of the first and second chains on each support member move together in response to operation of the drive means.

5. In a filing appliance, a base, longitudinally spaced first and second upright support members on the base, a first pair of vertically spaced sprockets journaled on and in a plane adjacent to each support member, a second pair of vertically spaced sprockets journaled on and in a plane remote from each support member, the sprockets having parallel axes of rotation, the first pair of sprockets being vertically spaced from the second pair of sprockets, the spacing between all pairs of sprockets being equal, a first endless chain disposed between and around each first pair of sprockets, a second endless chain being disposed between and around each second pair of sprockets, a plurality of card trays located between said support members and being vertically spaced and horizontally disposed, common drive means for said sprockets, a trunnion fixed to and extending from each end of each tray, lever anns connected to the first and second chains at intervals and extending laterally outward from the chains; the lever arms connected to the second chains being pivotally connected to the trunnions, a connecting link fixedly secured t one end to each trunnion, the lever arms connected to the first chains being pivotally connected to the other end of the connecting links, a pair of chain synchronizing sprockets mounted on each support member for simultaneous rotation, each pair of chain synchronizing sprockets engaging the pairs of first and second chains on each support member, each pair of chain synchronizing sprockets being independent of the common drive means for said first and second pairs of sprockets, and flexible pad means mounted on each tray and abuttable with an adjacent surface on an adjacent tray during movement of adjacent trays between the sprockets, whereby the chain portions between the sprockets are prevented from sagging out of straight line travel and thereby maintain the proper spacing between adjacent trays.

6. The construction as set forth in claim 5 in which the first and second pairs of sprockets have axes of rotation in an inclined plane extending upwardly from the base.

7. The construction as set forth in claim 5 in which an idler sprocket is mounted on each support member for engagement with each corresponding first chain and holds said chain in engagement with the corresponding chain synchronizing sprocket, whereby each pair of first and second chains on each support member moves together in response to operation of the drive means.

8. The construction as set forth in claim 5 in which the first and second pairs of sprockets have axes of rotation in an inclined plane extending upwardly from the base and in which an idler sprocket is mounted on each support member for engagement with each corresponding first chain and holds said chain in engagement with the corresponding chain synchronizing sprocket, whereby each pair of first and second chains on each support member moves together in response to operation of the drive means.

9. The construction as set forth in claim 5 in which a work table is provided at the upper end of one side of the appliance, and in which safety cable means extends longitudinally across and near the upper end of the orbit of travel of the trays at the other side of the appliance remote from said table for automatically stopping the drive means when the cable is struck by an object projecting from a tray.

References (liter! in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 864,438 Szczys Aug. 27, 1907 1,834,385 Currie Dec. 1, 1931 2,125,619 Parent Aug. 2, 1938 2,743,982 Stingl May 1, 1956 2,813,770 scholfield et a1. NOV. 19, 1957 

